Posts Tagged“gewurztraminer”

When veteran Finger Lakes winemaker Ian Barry started Barry Family Cellars with his family back in 2011, he planned to focus on a core portfolio of riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet franc, while also affording himself the ability tinker and experiment here and there with other grapes and techniques along the way. If any of the wines that resulted from those trials stood out, maybe he’d add to that core group of wines. If my last name were Barry, I’d be pushing for Barry Family Cellars 2014 Pastiche ($22) to join the permanent lineup. It’s one of the best non-riesling Finger Lakes white wines…

I’m not sure why exactly, but Finger Lakes gewurztraminer doesn’t get nearly the attention that it should. It sits firmly in riesling’s racy, trendy shadow, but the category consistently impresses with varietal character and depth — all with the kind of acidity that makes Finger Lakes whites so appealing. Dr. Konstantin Frank 2012 Gewurztraminer ($15) delivers what can be great about Finger Lakes gewurz at a great price point. Big lychee-meets-rose pedal aromas dominate the nose with underlying notes of candied lemon peel, pear and just a bit of peach pit. Broad and mouth-filling, but with nice focus, the…

A lot of wine drinkers buy they same — often big-production, commercial — wines because they want to know what they are going to get. They find comfort in knowing the wine buy is going to taste good to them every time they buy it. Cool-climate regions like the Finger Lakes don’t always offer that invariability. Cloudy, cool summers, poorly timed rain and potentially harmful frost are realities. Some years they all happen. Year-to-year consistency is difficult under these conditions… but it’s not impossible. Take Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2012 Gewurztraminer $18) — one of the most consistently delicious wines in the…

Lenz Winery 2008 Gewurztraminer ($20) is — just about every year — Long Island’s best gewurzt and at $20, is typically one of the lowest-price gewurztraminers as well. Aromas of musk melon, black tea, lychee, pineapple, rose petal and spice combine to create a complex, varietally correct nose. Less singularly floral than some gewurzt, this one combines richness with freshness for perfect balance. Melon and pineapple fruit flavors are accented by notes of jasmine, ginger, lychee and a sprinkling of baking spice. Dry, concentrated and with a medium-long finish, this is a classic example of winemaker Eric Fry’s gewurzt. Producer: Lenz…

Surprisingly subtle on the nose — gewurzt is usually much more effusive — aromas of underripe melon and kiwi are joined by subtle varietal floral/lychee notes. A bit dilute and light both in terms of body and flavor. Some residual sugar, but ultimately the snappy acidity comes off a bit shrill because there isn’t enough body to balance it. Producer: Martha Clara Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 10-.5% Price: $21* (2 out of 5, Average)

A large amount of residual sugar makes me dizzy. Dessert wine tends to remind me of childhood cough syrup albeit with new and improved flavors. I hated that god awful faux cherry elixir. When the New York Cork Report gets together once a year to taste the best New York State has to offer, I sit the sweet flight out. On tasting menus in fancy pants restaurants, I bargain away my last wine pairing in the name of ‘something sparkling.” The nuance of late harvest anything is generally lost on me. Is the aversion in my head? Bias left over…

It can be difficult to escape riesling maelstrom in the Finger Lakes. Riesling flies at you from every direction. It’s wonderful, but can be overwhelming too. And, sometimes other varieties are unfairly under-promoted. That’s the second edge of the double-edged sword of ‘signature varieties.’ Chief among these sometimes-ignored grapes is gewurztraminer, which thrives in the region. Sheldrake Point Vineyards makes some terrific rieslings, but deserves perhaps more attention for consistent excellence with gewurztraminer. It seems that, no matter the growing conditions, winemaker Dave Breeden crafts deliciousness, even if the style changes year to year. Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer ($18) is a…

Duck Walk Vineyards 2010 “Aphrodite” Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ($25) bursts with intense lychee and peach aromas, backed by brown baking spices and surprisingly understated floral notes. Well balanced, it is sweet, but far from cloying, and screams gewurztraminer with its combination of peach, pineapple, lychee, candied ginger and rose petal flavors. The finish is clean and bright, even if it doesn’t linger very long. Producer: Duck Walk Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 11% Price: $25 (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

When Paul and Shannon Brock purchased Silver Thread Vineyard last summer, I immediately wondered about their first vintage and wines. 2011 was a challenge for even the most experienced growers — growers who had been taking care of their vines for the entire growing season. The Brocks came in in what amounts to the fourth quarter of the game. Having tasted a few of Paul’s first wines (he’s the winemaker), those worries seem to be unwarranted. The Silver Thread 2011s deliver the same bright, clean flavors as many of those he made at Lamoreaux Landing a few years ago. Silver Thread…